China sets import tariff of almost 10 per cent on Belgian pork
China has announced anti-dumping duties of 4.9 to 19.8 per cent on imports of European pork and pork products for a period of five years. The tariff for Belgium has been set at 9.8 per cent. Higher provisional tariffs are currently in place.
After an investigation, the Chinese authorities have concluded that pork and pork products imported from the EU give rise to dumping practices, that the Chinese industry has suffered serious damage and that there is a link between that dumping and the damage, according to a press release from the country’s ministry of Commerce.
It imposed provisional tariffs on 5 September, pending the conclusions of the investigation. These ranged from 15.6 to 62.4 per cent. The new tariffs will apply from Wednesday and are set for a period of five years.
Lower rate
The Chinese investigation was launched last year, shortly after the EU announced that it would impose customs duties of up to 45 per cent on Chinese electric cars, which the EU says are produced with the help of unfair state subsidies. China rejects these accusations and speaks of protectionism.
"We would obviously have preferred a rate of 0 per cent, but this allows us to operate"
Belgium faced the highest rate of Chinese tariffs because it was considered “uncooperative” due to its failure to share data. It was unable to export during the period under investigation, as access to the Chinese market was closed from 2018 to 2024 due to African swine fever.
The customs duties for Belgium are now 9.8 per cent. “This is therefore a much lower tariff than 62.4 per cent,” says Michael Gore, managing director of sector federation Febev. “We would obviously have preferred a rate of 0 per cent, but this allows us to operate.”
The Chinese market remains economically important, particularly for Flanders, according to Febev. In the first nine months of this year, Belgian exports of pork and pork by-products reached nearly 20 million euros.
The organisation says it will continue to monitor the issue, paying particular attention to procedures that could lead to lower individual duties for companies with pending export applications. These companies could potentially face a higher initial duty of 19.8 per cent.
Pork exports from the EU to China accounted for more than 2 billion euros in 2024, with Spain, the Netherlands, Denmark and France the largest suppliers. Just over half of pork imports into China last year came from the EU, according to figures from the knowledge centre EU SME.
Earlier this year, China imposed tariffs on European spirits such as cognac, and an anti-dumping investigation into dairy products from the EU is also under way.
Cured meat being dried in Jinhua City, China, 7 December 2025 © PHOTO IMAGINECHINA / SIPA USA
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